VALPARAISO, Ind.
(AP) -- A proposed passenger rail line that would run from Chicago to
Columbus, Ohio, could see between 387,000 and 765,000 passengers annually,
according to an engineering firm’s analysis.

The Northern
Indiana Passenger Rail Association and engineering firm HNTB argued Thursday
that the proposed Amtrak line would connect cities that don’t have
convenient connections, The (Northwest Indiana) Times reported.

The proposed line
includes several stops across northern Indiana, including Valparaiso,
Plymouth, Warsaw, Columbia City and Fort Wayne. Stops in Ohio include Van
Wert, Lima and Columbus.

"This service is
very competitive with auto travel on this corridor,” HNTB Associate Vice
President Caron Kloser said.

Passenger numbers
will depend on the train’s speed and the number of daily round-trips, HNTB’s
analysis said.

The service could
see revenue from $13.8 million to $28.1 million annually, depending on the
frequency of trips, HNTB estimates. It would likely see an operating deficit
of $3.6 million to $7.3 million, which would need to be made up from public
sources. The project could cost between $898 million and $1.2 billion, HNTB
said.

Supporters hope the
Federal Railroad Administration would cover 80 percent of the cost. The rest
would be made up by state and local governments, as well as businesses that
would benefit from the service.

The rail
association will next conduct a more thorough economic analysis, prepare a
detailed service plan and conduct an environmental review.

“We wanted to do as
much work as we could in advance of asking for those federal funds,” Kloser
said.

The service could
be operational between 2026 and 2030 if the group can successfully gain
approval, Kloser said.